UAE pays special attention to transport and railway industry

Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, attended the opening ceremony of the 17th Middle East Rail 2023, the region’s leading event for rail innovation, technology and strategy, on Monday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).

Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed said that the UAE leadership pays special attention to the development of the transport sector and railway industry and to the extension of its train network in order to promote development throughout the country, given the vital role that railways play in supporting the economy, promoting investment opportunities and strengthening human and commercial ties.

The opening ceremony was attended by Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, senior UAE officials and several transportation ministers and chairpersons and CEOs of some of the world’s largest railroad companies, in addition to key figures and manufacturing companies’ representatives of transportation industry.

Sheikh Mansour commended the vision of Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Etihad Rail, for the development of Etihad Rail’s strategic projects, which articulates the UAE’s aspirations to be a leader in the transportation and shipping sectors, strengthening inter-city transport and building strategic partnerships with major rail actors.

Sheikh Mansour also watched a documentary on the Etihad Rail’s achievements.

The event attracts more that 10,000 attendees. A two-day programme will host over 400 industry leading speakers from across the region and beyond with dedicated conference theatres themed around Sustainability, Digital Innovation and Innovative Mobility. This year’s exhibition sees over 300 exhibitors join from across the globe, bringing you cutting edge products and solutions from the entire transport ecosystems.

The agenda features over 100 conference presentations, panels and interviews covering; connected and intelligent systems, automated and safe processes, IoT and data analysis, sustainable operations and much more.

The event’s sessions are led by the industry’s leading figures, forward-thinking senior executives and the key decision makers who are reshaping the industry.

A panel discussion will focus on Fast-tracking to the world by land, sea & rail: role of rail in accelerating the UAE’s multimodal capability and value proposition as a hub for global manufacturing, trade and logistics. The 2023 edition is hosted by Etihad Rail, bringing together public and private transport operators, government, engineering and construction, logistics and technology providers to plan and develop future projects. Middle East Rail is intentionally designed to inspire, encourage knowledge exchange and to showcase innovative solution providers who promise world-class excellence and infrastructure delivery.

International pavilions feature an all-star line-up of international companies, transforming the railway industry across the region, showcasing the latest tech and innovation from around the world.

Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan also received Mehrdad Bazrpash, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, and his accompanying delegation.

The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the Middle East Rail 2023 in Abu Dhabi, reviewed a host of avenues for joint cooperation and a number of issues of mutual interest.

Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) and its affiliated entities participated today in the Middle East Rail 2023 Exhibition and Conference, the largest Railway event in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, held over two days on May 15th and 16th at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (Adnec).

Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport delivered the keynote opening speech in the presence of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, along with several ministers, senior officials, and experts. Al Shorafa highlighted the department’s vision and mission aiming to regulate, develop, and manage urban growth and transport in an integrated and sustainable manner by providing innovative and smart infrastructure, facilities and services that promote the wellbeing and happiness of the community.

He emphasized that the DMT is working to translate the vision of wise leadership by launching initiatives and projects that meet the needs of the Abu Dhabi community, through the development of vibrant communities, green spaces, and investment in sustainable infrastructure.

His Excellency Al Shorafa stated, “Today, we are witnessing a period of transformation fuelled by a fast-growing and young population and the world’s highest urbanization rates. Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the wider GCC region are no exceptions to this. By embracing Rail and identifying the pivotal role that it plays in achieving government initiatives, such as the UAE’s 2050 Net Zero Agenda, we pay tribute to the vision of our leadership.

WAM